FM radio bid: I&B Ministry to hold mock auctions on July 22, 23

New Delhi: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry is planning to hold ‘mock auctions’ on July 22 and 23 to familiarise bidders with the rules and methodology for Phase III FM radio auctions.

In the first batch of the FM Phase III auctions, the ministry plans to grant permission to run the 135 radio channels in 69 cities.

In a notice on its website, the ministry also said that as per the tentative timeline for e-auction in its NIA (Notice Inviting Applications) of the first batch of Phase III, the e-auction shall begin from 27th July, 2015.

The ministry had earlier organised for training of the pre-qualified bidders of first batch of Private FM Radio Phase III last week for the 21 companies that have emerged as pre-qualified bidders.

As per the NIA brought out by the I&B Ministry for the auctions, there shall be a Simultaneous Multiple Round Ascending (SMRA) e-auction, conducted over the Internet.